The moment Su Chen's fingers made contact with the Tesseract, reality screamed.
Raw spatial energy flooded into him—not as a gentle stream but as a raging torrent that would have instantly vaporized any normal human. The Space Stone's power was absolute, fundamental, the very concept of "location" and "distance" given physical form. It didn't merely manipulate space; it *was* space, compressed into a comprehensible structure.
Su Chen's Dual Pupils blazed with such intensity that blue-white light spilled from his eyes, illuminating the chamber like twin stars. His Origin Mirror activated at full power, drinking in every aspect of the Infinity Stone's nature, copying the impossible mathematics that allowed it to function.
"Master!" Babata's voice carried alarm even through their neural link. "The energy influx is exceeding safe parameters! Your physical form is beginning to destabilize—"
"I know," Su Chen responded through gritted teeth. His Indestructible Diamond Body was the only thing preventing him from being torn apart at the molecular level. The conceptual defense provided an anchor, keeping his existence coherent even as space itself tried to fold him into non-being.
Behind him, Coulson had frozen in the act of dragging Dr. Selvig toward safety, staring at Su Chen with an expression that mixed awe and terror. The agent's body cameras were recording everything, transmitting directly to S.H.I.E.L.D. command.
On the surface, Nick Fury watched the feed with his single eye narrowed to a slit. "What the hell is he?"
Maria Hill stood beside him, her tactical display showing energy readings that exceeded anything in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s database. "Sir, the power output from that chamber just increased by 2,000%. He's not shutting it down—he's *interfacing* with it."
"I can see that, Hill," Fury growled. "The question is whether he's helping or making things worse."
Saeko and Esdeath maintained their positions at the perimeter, but both were tense, ready to intervene if their lord's plan went catastrophically wrong. Through their connection with Su Chen, they could feel the strain he was under—like trying to contain an ocean in a teacup while simultaneously mapping every molecule of water.
Inside the chamber, Su Chen's consciousness expanded.
The Origin Mirror's copying process wasn't merely recording the Tesseract's structure—it was allowing him to *experience* what it meant to be the embodiment of space. His perception exploded outward, suddenly aware of every point in the universe simultaneously. He could see Earth from orbit, Mars and its dead civilizations, the outer planets, distant star systems, other galaxies...
And beyond that, other dimensions. Other realities.
He saw Asgard—the golden realm floating in dimensional space, connected to eight other worlds through the Yggdrasil network. He saw the Dark Dimension, an infinite void ruled by an entity of pure hunger. He saw the Mirror Dimension used by Earth's sorcerers, the Quantum Realm existing below the atomic level, and countless other pocket universes that existed in the spaces between.
But most importantly, he saw the connection the Tesseract was forming—a bridge of blue energy reaching across dimensional boundaries toward a specific location.
Sanctuary. The floating throne-world of Thanos, hidden in the void between galaxies.
And standing on that world, using a scepter tipped with another Infinity Stone, was Loki Laufeyson. The Asgardian prince's eyes glowed with the same blue energy as the Tesseract, his mind clearly compromised by the Mind Stone's influence. He was channeling his magic through the scepter, calling to the Space Stone, trying to force open a portal.
"Interesting," Su Chen murmured, his voice echoing with spatial harmonics. "You're not working alone, are you, Loki?"
His silver pupil focused, and he saw the truth—Loki was being manipulated. The Mind Stone in his scepter wasn't just enhancing his magic; it was subtly controlling his thoughts, pushing him toward increasingly reckless actions. And behind Loki, barely visible in the shadows, stood the true architect of this invasion.
Thanos. The Mad Titan. A figure of such overwhelming power that even viewing him through the Tesseract's spatial perception made Su Chen's instincts scream danger.
"Master!" Babata's voice was urgent. "I'm detecting another consciousness attempting to establish connection through the Tesseract link—someone is trying to trace the energy signature back to you!"
Su Chen immediately understood. The Mind Stone in Loki's scepter was probing through the spatial bridge, trying to establish mental contact with whoever had touched the Tesseract. If Loki—or worse, Thanos—realized that someone on Earth had the ability to interface directly with an Infinity Stone, it would dramatically alter their invasion plans.
With a thought, Su Chen severed the connection.
Not gently. Not subtly. He used his Supreme Sword Bone to generate a blade of pure cutting intent and *sliced* through the dimensional bridge Loki had been forming. The spatial corridor collapsed instantly, and Su Chen felt a distant scream of surprise and pain as the backlash hit the Asgardian prince.
The Tesseract flared with blinding light, then suddenly contracted, its energy pulling inward as Su Chen's will imposed structure on the chaos. His Formation Arrangement cultivation allowed him to inscribe stabilization formations directly into the spatial distortions, creating a framework that contained the Space Stone's power.
"Babata, now!" Su Chen commanded. "Full analysis and storage protocols!"
In the 4.7 seconds before he released contact with the Tesseract, the Origin Mirror completed its copying process. Every aspect of the Space Stone's structure, every mathematical principle underlying its function, every possible application of its power—all of it was recorded, analyzed, and integrated into Su Chen's knowledge base.
When he finally pulled his hands away, the Tesseract had returned to its stable cube form, hovering docilely in the air. The blue energy field that had engulfed the facility was gone, collapsed back into the artifact itself.
Su Chen staggered slightly, his Indestructible Diamond Body smoking from the sheer power he'd channeled. The dimensional masking agent Xiao Yi Xian had provided had completely burned away, leaving his true cultivation signature briefly exposed.
For just a moment, everyone with enhanced senses in a thousand-mile radius felt it—a presence of overwhelming power, like a star compressed into human form.
In Nepal, the Ancient One looked up from her tea, her expression unreadable. "Interesting. He's more than he appears."
In New York, Peter Parker was in chemistry class when he suddenly felt his spider-sense explode with warning, then just as quickly fade. He looked around confused, wondering what just happened.
And in S.H.I.E.L.D. command, every sensor that had been monitoring the facility went haywire for exactly 2.3 seconds before returning to normal.
"Did you see that?" Hill demanded, staring at the energy readings. "The power spike was—"
"Off the charts," Fury finished grimly. "Whatever Su Chen is, he's not just an enhanced human. That was something else entirely."
Su Chen quickly reapplied his masking, compressing his Formation Arrangement aura back down to something that would read as merely "enhanced" rather than "cosmically significant." By the time Coulson recovered enough to approach, Su Chen appeared to be nothing more than a slightly winded individual who'd just performed an impressive feat.
"Is it... contained?" Coulson asked, his voice shaky.
"Stabilized," Su Chen corrected, eyeing the Tesseract with satisfaction. "The external signal trying to activate it has been severed, and I've established containment formations that will prevent unauthorized access. But this artifact is inherently dangerous. It *wants* to be used, to express its fundamental nature. Keeping it locked away will only work temporarily."
He turned to face Coulson directly. "You need to inform Director Fury that whoever was trying to access this device from the other side will try again. They have the knowledge and tools to force a connection. This was just their first attempt."
"Who was it?" Coulson asked. "Who's trying to use the Tesseract?"
Su Chen considered how much to reveal. Too much information would make S.H.I.E.L.D. suspicious about how he knew these things. Too little would limit his ability to position himself as a valuable asset.
"I caught a glimpse during the connection," he said carefully. "An Asgardian—one of the beings from Norse mythology, except they're real. He was using another artifact similar to this one, trying to create a bridge between locations."
"Asgardian," Coulson repeated, his expression showing he recognized the reference. "S.H.I.E.L.D. has had... encounters with their kind. But why would they want to open a portal to Earth?"
"That's the question Director Fury needs to answer," Su Chen replied. "But based on the energy signatures I detected, whoever is coming isn't planning a friendly visit."
He walked over to where the technicians were still huddled, using a minor application of his Formation Arrangement power to check them for injuries. None were seriously hurt, just shocked and terrified. Dr. Selvig was unconscious but stable, his mind likely overwhelmed by the Tesseract's energy output.
"Get these people evacuated," Su Chen instructed Coulson. "And someone needs to debrief Dr. Selvig when he wakes up. His experiments with gamma radiation destabilized the Tesseract's containment—he needs to understand how close he came to causing a disaster."
As Coulson coordinated with the response teams, Su Chen allowed himself a moment to process what he'd accomplished. The Origin Mirror had successfully copied an Infinity Stone—not the physical artifact itself, but the fundamental principles underlying its power. Given time and resources, he could potentially recreate Space Stone functionality using different materials and energy sources.
But more valuable than the copying was the information he'd gained. He now understood the complete scope of this universe's power structure, from the cosmic entities that shaped reality down to the specific individuals who would become key players in coming conflicts.
"Master," Babata's voice was filled with a mixture of pride and concern. "The copying process was successful, but I must report—the energy required to actually *use* Space Stone level abilities will be enormous. Even with your current cultivation, you can only access approximately 0.3% of the Stone's full capabilities."
"More than enough for now," Su Chen replied through their link. "I don't need to match an Infinity Stone—I just need to understand its principles well enough to counter them. And now I do."
He felt Saeko and Esdeath's attention through their connection. "Status?" Saeko's mental voice inquired.
"Objective achieved," Su Chen confirmed. "The Tesseract is contained, S.H.I.E.L.D. is grateful, and we've established ourselves as assets. Move to phase two—integration into their organization."
Medical teams arrived to evacuate Dr. Selvig and the other injured personnel. Su Chen walked back through the chamber, noting how the spatial distortions had completely collapsed. The facility would need significant repairs, but it was salvageable.
As he emerged from the containment chamber, he found Nick Fury waiting, flanked by a dozen heavily armed agents. The Director's expression was carefully neutral, but his single eye blazed with intensity.
"Mr. Su Chen," Fury greeted. "That was quite a performance. My sensors tell me you just absorbed enough energy to power New York City for a year. Care to explain what the hell you are?"
Su Chen met his gaze calmly. "I'm someone who's studied exotic energy systems extensively, Director. The Tesseract operates on principles that conventional physics can't explain, but they're comprehensible if you know what to look for."
"That's not an answer," Fury pressed.
"It's the answer you're getting," Su Chen replied evenly. "I helped contain your crisis, prevented what could have been a catastrophic dimensional breach, and probably saved thousands of lives. What I am is less important than what I can do."
Fury's jaw tightened, but he nodded slowly. "Fair enough. For now." He gestured toward the surface. "We need to debrief. You, your associates, and I are going to have a very long conversation about what just happened and what's coming next."
"Agreed," Su Chen said. "But first, I recommend you secure the Tesseract in a location that's not a known research facility. Whoever was trying to access it knows where it is. They'll try again, and next time they might succeed."
"Already planning on it," Fury confirmed. "The Tesseract is being transferred to a secure location that officially doesn't exist. Only a handful of people will know where it is."
Su Chen nodded approvingly, though he didn't mention that Babata was already tracking every communication regarding the transfer. Within hours, he'd know the Tesseract's new location, the security protocols protecting it, and every individual with access.
They rode to the surface in a heavily armored elevator, surrounded by S.H.I.E.L.D. agents who watched Su Chen like he might explode at any moment. When they emerged, Su Chen found a much larger crowd waiting—mobile command centers, scientific equipment, and what appeared to be a significant military presence.
Saeko and Esdeath were exactly where he'd left them, though now they were the focus of considerable attention from S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel who clearly didn't know what to make of them.
"Director," Maria Hill approached, tablet in hand. "We've completed preliminary analysis of the energy readings. Sir, the power output during the containment process exceeded anything in our database. Whatever Mr. Su Chen did, it involved manipulating spatial dimensions directly."
"I was there, Hill," Fury said dryly. "I saw it happen."
"Yes, sir, but you need to see these projections." She showed him the tablet, and Fury's expression darkened. "Based on these readings, Mr. Su Chen demonstrated power levels comparable to... well, to theoretical extraterrestrial threats."
"Which means he could be a threat himself," Fury concluded, loud enough for Su Chen to hear.
Su Chen turned to face the Director directly. "I could be, Director Fury. But I'm not. I came here to help, and I did. The question you need to ask yourself isn't whether I'm powerful—clearly I am. The question is whether you want that power working with S.H.I.E.L.D. or operating independently."
It was a calculated statement, designed to force Fury into seeing only two options: recruit Su Chen or potentially make an enemy of him. The Director was too pragmatic to choose the latter without overwhelming cause.
Fury studied him for a long moment, then made a decision. "Coulson, take Mr. Su Chen and his associates to Briefing Room Seven. Get them coffee, get them comfortable, and get them to sign approximately ten thousand pages of non-disclosure agreements. I'll be there in thirty minutes."
"Yes, sir," Coulson acknowledged.
As they were led away, Su Chen allowed himself a small smile. Everything was proceeding according to plan. S.H.I.E.L.D. would debrief them, conduct background checks that would find only the fabricated identities Babata had created, and eventually make an offer of employment or consultation.
And once they were inside the organization, he'd have access to everything—intelligence networks, technology databases, and most importantly, information about the other Infinity Stones.
"Master," Babata's voice carried a note of warning. "I'm detecting encrypted communications between Director Fury and an unknown recipient. The encryption is Asgardian in origin."
"Thor?" Su Chen inquired mentally.
"No, the energy signature is different. Older, more refined. I believe Fury is contacting the Ancient One—requesting her assessment of the situation."
Su Chen's expression didn't change, but internally he acknowledged the complication. The Ancient One's involvement was inevitable, but he'd hoped for more time before dealing with Earth's Sorcerer Supreme.
"Monitor the communication," he instructed. "I want to know what she tells him."
As they entered the briefing room—a sterile space filled with monitoring equipment and one-way mirrors—Su Chen settled into a chair and accepted the coffee Coulson offered. Saeko and Esdeath took flanking positions, their body language relaxed but ready.
"This is going to be a long debrief," Coulson warned apologetically. "Director Fury is thorough, and what happened today raises a lot of questions."
"I expected nothing less," Su Chen replied, sipping the coffee. It was terrible—clearly mass-produced military grade—but he drank it anyway to maintain appearances. "Take your time, Agent Coulson. I have nowhere else to be."
What he didn't say was that every moment he spent in this room, Babata was infiltrating deeper into S.H.I.E.L.D.'s systems, copying classified files, mapping their organizational structure, and identifying every asset, facility, and operation they controlled.
The harvest of the Marvel Universe was accelerating, and S.H.I.E.L.D. had just invited the wolf into their fold.
Outside, in a location that existed perpendicular to normal space, the Ancient One stood watching the events unfold through mystical scrying. Her expression was contemplative as she observed Su Chen sitting calmly in the briefing room.
"You're not from this universe," she murmured to herself. "But you're not here to destroy it either. You're... collecting. How curious."
She waved her hand, and the mystical window closed. Whatever Su Chen's ultimate goals, they didn't appear to involve this timeline's destruction. That was enough for now. She had more immediate concerns—the Time Stone required her attention, and there were other threats on the horizon.
She would watch Su Chen, certainly. But she would not interfere.
Not yet.